Hello, my name is Emily, and I graduated with a degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management (RPTM) in May 2023. When I reflect on what helped me choose my major, one of my happiest memories always comes to mind. I visited Yosemite National Park in 2016, which awakened my interest in environmentalism and ultimately led me to study Recreation, Park and Tourism Management with a focus in Outdoor Recreation. Initially, I hoped to work in the National Park Service to provide positive outdoor experiences, like the one I had in Yosemite, to others.
My RPTM courses led me to Shaver’s Creek, Penn State’s Environmental Center, a place that has transformed my personal goals and values. I gained experience in the camp atmosphere through Outdoor School and summer camp, where I developed a passion for environmental education. I learned more about myself in the outdoors than I ever could have in the classroom. Learning about the ecology and natural history of Pennsylvania, the state I’ve always called home, taught me to value place-based learning wherever my feet are. I developed a lens to view all outdoor experiences with the same awe that I thought only existed in national parks. My courses as an RPTM student took me to the White Mountains in New Hampshire, to farms, museums, and forests in Vermont, and to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Each of these places taught me something different about the natural world and its relationship to humans. Revealed was the common ground of my meaningful outdoor experiences: no matter where they were, they were all rooted in community-driven values.
As I became curious about how to be active in our community as a Penn State student, the Student Farm stood out immediately. The opportunities for involvement with the Student Farm are welcoming to everyone, from the Student Farm Club to the volunteer opportunities in the field. As an intern on the farm, I look forward to creating positive experiences for others in the outdoors. I believe that magical outdoor experiences are not limited to national parks like Yosemite, and they exist right here in central Pennsylvania. When we welcome visitors to the farm, we uplift parts of history, teach ag/plant science, and deepen community connections. Being student-run and encompassing a variety of possibilities, I am excited to welcome others to the farm and to showcase this special part of our community.
